Flamengo will face an Egyptian team for only the second time

The only clash against a team from Mohamed Salah’s country came against giants Al-Ahly – and that wasn’t that long ago; remember

Flamengo team celebrates one of the goals against Al-Ahly –

Photo: marcelocortes/Flamengo / Jogada10

A coincidence awaits Flamengo when Filipe Luís’ team takes the field on Saturday (13/12) in the Challenger Cup – the semi-final of the Intercontinental 2025. After all, it will be only the second time that Rubro-Negro will face an Egyptian team in its history. Last time? A little over two years ago, in Morocco.

It was at the Intercontinental 2023, against Al-Ahly, one of the powers of Egyptian football. But this Saturday, the opponent will be the “young” Pyramid, founded in 2008 and which is making its first global “foray”. Remember with Play10So how did the duel go two years ago. A “spoiler”? Mengão won.

Flamengo came third at the Intercontinental 2023

At the time, Flamengo returned to the Intercontinental after three seasons, when they lost to Liverpool (ING), in the 2019 final. After winning the Libertadores in 2022, the team qualified for the tournament, played in Morocco, but only in 2023. The debut was not that of a dream: Rubro-Negro, owned by the recently hired Vitor Pereira, succumbed to Al-Hilal (3-2) and bid farewell in the quarter-finals.

However, at that time there were still disputes for third place, with Fla facing Al-Ahly (EGI). After all, the Egyptians fell to Real Madrid, competing against the Brazilian team.

However, he saw the Rio team take the lead, with Gabigol winning a penalty. Al-Ahly did not give up and pulled out all the stops, turning the situation around with two goals from Ahmed Abdelkader – 37 minutes after the start of the first half and 15 minutes after the start of the second. Flamengo’s attack was powerful: Pedro left everything the same, in the 32′, and Gabigol – again from the penalty spot – turned towards Mais Querido, in the 39′. It was up to Pedro, in stoppage time, to close the coffin and guarantee the bronze medal for Fla.

And the pyramids?

The blue and white team are already playing their third match at the Intercontinental 2025. After winning the African Champions League (for the first time in only their third participation), they started in the first phase, against Auckland City (NEZ) and won 3-0 with great authority on September 14.

Nine days later, a much more difficult duel. After all, they were facing none other than Al-Ahli (SAU) at Prince Abdullah Al Failsal in Jeddah, home of Roberto Firmino’s former club. With a show from Fayele (eye on him, Mengão), Pyramids surprised and won 3-1, confirming a nice surprise against the Saudi team, which had in the starting lineup Mendy, Ibañez, Demiral, Kessié, Mahrez and Galeno, as well as Ivan Toney, author of the goal of honor.

Despite these good performances, the Egyptian team is coming off a crushing defeat. They lost 6-1 at home to National Bank Egypt in the African country’s first League Cup last Tuesday (12/9). In its league, it appears in second place after 12 games, with 27 points, two less than leader Ceramica-Cleópatra.